Archive for December, 2013

For better or for worse, people are going to be quoting Anchorman 2 for years to come, but can it, and it’s catchy one liners, live up to the original or is it just another sequel that should never have been made.

Finding himself being overshadowed by his wife Veronica, anchorman Ron Burgundy takes an opportunity to change the way news is reported forever by joining up with the worlds first ever 24 hour news channel GNN. Will the anchorman and his friends be able to thrive in the competitive new work environment or have they become outdated?

For any fan of the original, this film isn’t going to disappoint. It’s full of the same well timed catchphrases and witty dialogue that made the first one so popular, but if you didn’t like the first film than this sequel will do little to change your mind.

The film is a little too long, at two hours long it feels like the movie would have benefited from a shorter running time. Even though the film drags a bit towards the middle, there are moments later in the film that make up for it.

One of the best things about the movie is how the characters make fun of the way news is today, even making valid points about some of the problems facing the industry without ever becoming too serious or preachy.

A lot of people will probably be surprised at how a piece of valid social commentary is seamlessly slipped in to the ridiculous gags that fans of the film know and love.

Will Ferrell and friends have managed to make a proper sequel that doesn’t rely on or try to repeat the story of the first one and it paid off as this sequel is arguably a superior film.

Funny to the end, Anchorman 2 should definitely please its existing fans while possibly bringing in new ones.

What do you think? Are you an anchorman fan? Did you want a sequel? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

The Desolation of Smaug picks up pretty much where its predecessor left off. Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves are being pursued by Orcs and are running out of time to open the door to the old dwarf city, which is now home to the fiery dragon Smaug.

Unlike the first Hobbit film, there’s not a long wait before the story kicks into full gear. In fact, so much happens in the movie that there isn’t really much down time at all, but the long running time ensures that nothing seems rushed.

The main story focuses on Bilbo and the dwarves as they make their way to Smaug, but then there’s also the side story of Gandalf who splits from the group early in the film, as well as various subplots given to supporting characters who are introduced along the way.

It’s the subplots that really fill the film up with detail that may not have been there in the original book, but still feels natural in this fantasy world. The best variation from the novel is probably the introduction of the wood-elf Tauriel, who is played by Evangeline Lily. Tauriel is such a badass that she just steals every scene she’s in.

Even so, the most satisfying part of the movie definitely comes from the book. When Bilbo finally gets face to face with Smaug, the scene is amazing. It has smart dialog and Smaug is brought to life so well that it’s hard not to fear for the safety of the little hobbit. By the time this scene rolls around so much has happened that it’s seems like there won’t be enough time left to give Smaug the screen time he deserves, but don’t worry this isn’t the case.

One of the major benefits of getting a lot of the talking out of the way in the first film, is that it means this time they’re free to just go all out with the action. The quick fighting style really helps speed up the pace of the film and is visually interesting. In fact, the whole movie is visually interesting and full of wide shots that really help build the world of Middle-Earth.

The length of the film may help with the pacing of the story, but there are some flaws that are unavoidable with a three hour running time. For instance, there are people who will just never be able to watch this movie. Three hours is just too long for a lot of potential movie goers and it’s also a surprisingly difficult task for the bladder, especially for those who order a large drink. Still, when it comes to a film based on one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, fans expect it to last about three hours.

While challenging on the bladder, the Desolation of Smaug is definitely worth seeing in cinemas, even if you didn’t like the first one. The increased frame rate makes the price of an IMAX ticket seem justified, which is so rarely the case. Having watched the first Hobbit film at home, I can honestly say that, after seeing this sequel, I wished I’d seen it in the cinema instead.

What do you think of the Hobbit? Are you a fan? Have you read the books? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Okay so there is a lot of stuff packed into this trailer, but will the movie feel as crowded?

The last time we had a Spider-Man movie with this many villains it led to the entire franchise being rebooted, so it’s a little surprising to see so many crammed into this sequel. Except this time it looks like there may be a good plan behind it and it was mentioned in the first film.

Oscorp seems to be at the centre of all things superpower related. Peter Parker was bitten by one of their genetically altered spiders and now it looks like the company may be responsible for not only these villains, but future ones as well.

In the above still from the trailer you can see what looks like robotic wings and tentacles, which will likely belong to Vulture and Doctor Octopus in future Spider-Man films. This level of planning makes up for a lot of the worries about the overcrowded roster of villains as it seems like Harry Osborn, who will be the Green Goblin, is sort of a ring leader with Rhino and Electro almost as henchmen.

Though it’s a lot more organised than the three random villains from the third Sam Raimi Spider-Man movie, it is a little disappointing that Jamie Fox’s Electro doesn’t seem to be the main bad guy despite being at the centre of the ad campaign.

Dane Dehaan’s version of Harry Osborn has apparently skipped his dad to take on the title, which could mean that this time it will be the father avenging his son rather than the other way around. The big question is which one will kill Gwen Stacy?

There have been a number of other interesting sightings in the trailer. The above picture may or may not be Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat nothing is really confirmed about who Felicity Jones is playing.

Then there is this strange part that is a little confusing. If Shailene Woodley was cut from the film then why is she still in the trailer? Maybe she’ll just be ‘girl who almost gets crushed by car’ rather than the much more well known character Mary Jane Watson.

What do you think? Check out the trailer and leave your thoughts in the comments below.

After months of speculation about whether Wonder Woman would even be in the upcoming sequel to Man of Steel, it has been confirmed that Gal Gadot, best known for her role in the Fast and the furious franchise, has got the role.

First off, even if Gadot is excellent in the role, this cast is getting pretty crowded and with a movie that now has at least three superheroes, with more rumoured to appear, what hope do any of the supporting characters have. Even though as a fan I have personally always preferred DC to Marvel, I have to admit Marvel studios have done a better job of creating a shared cinematic universe. They may be calling this a sequel to Man of Steel, but it is looking more and more like a rushed Justice League movie.

As for the casting, it’s hard to deny that there are plenty of actresses that would have been better for the role. Hopefully Gadot’s audition was amazing and she deserved the part, but it seems like casting a young, model with little acting experience might not be the best idea considering Wonder Woman has to appeal to both women and men. It’s a common complaint in movies that really slim women are cast to preform really elaborate fight scenes that no one actually believes they’d be able to do. If she is going to have to stand next to Batman and Superman she better beef up and look the part. On that topic, the costume is probably going to need a serious update if they want it to be taken seriously in this gritty DC universe. Short shorts probably aren’t going to cut it.

A lot of fans wanted Gina Carano to play the Amazon warrior, which would have been a pretty interesting casting considering that Carano is a MMA fighter. Gadot and Carano both come from the Fast and the Furious films, but it’s easy to see why Carano would be the more fitting choice and she actually does resemble both the comic book character and the actress who played Wonder Woman in the TV series. Personally, I thought they should go older and cast a more experienced actress like Kate Beckinsale. Still, since the casting is official it’s only far that Gadot is given a chance to prove everyone wrong and hopefully Wonder Woman’s first live action movie appearance will be memorable for the right reasons.

Paul Walker has died in a car accident in California at the age of 40. The actor is probably best known for his role in the Fast and the furious franchise.

According to a statement on the actors Facebook page, he was the passenger in a car on his way to a charity event when the accident happened. Both he and the driver, his friend Rodger Rodas, were killed in the accident.

“It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide. He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate you patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news. Thank you for keeping his family and friends in your prayers during this very difficult time. We will do our best to keep you apprised on where to send condolences” a statement from the actors official Facebook page.

Representatives from Universal studio also released a statement ” All of us at Universal are heartbroken. Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the FAST AND FURIOUS films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”

It has been confirmed by a spokesperson for the Santa Clarita Valley Station, the they responded to a collision on Saturday afternoon and found that the vehicle was in flames. The fire department put out the flames and located two people trapped inside, both were later pronounced dead. It appears to be a single car collision with a fixed object that was near the road.